Spoon Feeding Redfish! Teaser Fishing Team
By: Mike Frenette
Louisiana- Hungry for a new angle on pursuing reds, spoon feeding reds just might cure your insatiable apatite for that new challenge. It's well known by anglers that redfish are aggressive and will strike at a variety of baits but when it comes to artificial bait one lure seems to turn the head of a redfish more often than others, and that is the
spoon. Spoons come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors but for
the most part the design of all spoons is such that they either wobble
or spin through the water creating noise and flash that ultimately
educes strikes. Quite honestly spoons if used properly can be one of
the most effective baits out there.
SELECTING THE SPOON FOR YOU
Are the different shapes and sizes that spoons come in really that
important? Does it really make a difference? The answer is YES but the
style of spoon that you choose should be all relative to the conditions
that you are facing while fishing.
Let�s say that you are entering a pond or an area that is shallow
water, less than three feet deep and there is grass in the pond, not
chocked with grass but enough grass to create cover for both the
baitfish as well as the reds. A weed less spoon in what is called the
teardrop style where the spoon is narrow at the top and wide at the
bottom and for the most part when retrieved steadily through the water
will spin. Popular brands of this style spoon are the Johnson Silver
Minnow or Rainbow spoons. Both are very similar. Weed less only means
that the spoon has a weed guard which runs on the underside part of the
spoon from the tip of the lure to the tip of the hook. These style
spoons sink fast and when retrieved at a moderate speed will not lift.
Now if you enter an area that is really choked with grass a more
rounded spoon such as a Nemire Red Ripper Spoon will be required.
The difference between the two style of spoons is that the Johnson
minnow has a tendency to sink faster by it's design than the Red
Ripper, which by design flutters as it is descending; therefore, it
sinks through the water column much slower than the Johnson' s Silver
Minnow. The shape of the Nemire Spoon allows this style spoon to sink
at a slower rate, therefore, under heavy grass conditions it will allow
the angler to work this spoon slower without fowling or tangling with
the grass.
There is quite a difference between the two styles as the Silver
Minnow spins, and the Red Ripper for the most part has a wobbling
effect which creates lift to the spoon allowing it to stay in the upper
part of the water column. This design allows the angler to keep the
spoon working without fowling or tangling in the grass. Our marshes in
Southeast Louisiana are so diverse that in a 1/2 mile stretch an angler
may encounter a section of water that is full of grass, make a turn
around a point and find no grass but plenty of oysters. Both style
spoons Silver Minnow and Red Ripper are perfect for the oyster
beds.
DECIDING ON WHAT SIZE TO USE
Spoons come in all different sizes and the size is categorized by
weight. 1/4 OZ., 1/2 OZ. to 5/8 or 3/4 OZ. is what you should be
prepared to have available in your tackle box, as these sizes should
pretty much cover the different conditions that you may face. Choosing
a spoon to use should be relative to the conditions that you face while
you are fishing.
1/4 Oz. spoon or smaller are normally used in shallow water lets say 2
feet or less or in heavy grass conditions. Since they are very light
weight spoons they work perfect in extreme shallow conditions for a
couple of reasons.
They make little or no splash when entering the water therefore the
chances of spooking a Red will be low. Casting a heavy spoon into a
shallow water pond would not be advisable. Also these lightweight
spoons are perfect for the grassy ponds as they are very easy to work
in the upper portions of the water column, above the grass, and for the
most part slide through the grasses quite easy. If you are working
waters that the bottoms are muddy or sand and have little or no grass
then using a 1/2 OZ. or larger spoon will be quite effective. Normally,
when you are fishing areas like this it is the ponds closer to the gulf
where the currents are stronger. During stronger tides use a heavier
spoon as the weight will allow the spoon to sink in the current as a
lighter spoon will stay closer to the surface. A strong tide will
compound the �lift� of your spoon when you are retrieving it. Adjust
the size of your spoon depending on the strength of the current. Don't
be afraid to experiment as you will see a tremendous difference on how
each size spoon will perform under certain currents. Oyster beds are
certainly locations where Redfish hangout and depending on how deep the
water is, this will determine which size spoon to use. Very simple, the
shallower the water that you are in the smaller size spoon you would
want to use.
RIGGING SPOONS
By there nature spoons have a tendency to twist lines if they are not
rigged properly. There are three simple procedures that will prevent
headaches for you:
1. A small split ring placed into the eye of the Spoon and then a 50
lb, SPRO swivel attached to the split ring which your line will be tied
to
2. A loop knot tied can prevent twisting but this is my least favorite
3. A 10-12oz leader joined with a 50 lb. SPRO swivel is my favorite and
will prevent all twisting. Your line from your reel attaches to one end
of the swivel then your leader end at the other end of the swivel, and
at the bottom of the leader you will attach your spoon.
WORKING THE SPOON
There is no question that a spoon can be quite simple to use. Cast it
out and retrieve. Sounds simple doesn't it? It is but if that is all
you do with a spoon you are going to miss many opportunities. This is
where spoons really prove themselves as they are an extremely versatile
bait as they can be fished fast, slow, vertically jig, fluttered, and
yes the simple ole regular bring it back to the boat retrieve. Wait a
minute you say that I can flutter and jig spoons. Absolutely! These
two techniques work wonders.
Fluttering a spoon will result in more strikes than you can imagine and
it is quite a simple technique to master. Instead of retrieving the
spoon directly back to you lift your rod tip up high then has you bring
your rod tip down twitch your wrist and this will cause the spoon to
flutter while it is falling. As the spoon hits the bottom you, slowly
reel the spoon and at the same time lift your rod tip up and then drop
your tip and begin the fluttering technique again. This works awesome
especially if you are doing the same ole cast and retrieve and you felt
a bump but did not get hooked up. By slowing the spoon down and
fluttering the red will find the spoon again and this time probably
will crush it.
Fluttering a spoon also works great in the grass beds as it allows the
angler to not only work the top part of the grass, but by slowing the
spoon down and fluttering the spoon it allows the bait to sink into the
grass and appear as a wounded baitfish. This is an extremely effective
technique that if you have never used will surprise you. The same
technique can be and should be used over the oyster beds. Present your
spoon over the bed then flutter the spoon through the bed. As your
spoon hits the oysters on the drop, and you will feel it, just raise
your rod tip up while you are reeling. This will allow your spoon to
rise up above the oysters and once it does just resume with the
fluttering technique. Redfish are not always cruising; quite often they
will be sitting on an oyster bed or on a point and if you just cast and
retrieve you may just blast right on past the fish. Slow it down
flutter the spoon and hold on!
Jigging a spoon in deeper waters can also be effective. Working rock
piles, pilings or bottom contours with spoons can entice a red when
nothing else will. For the most part this technique begins with a short
cast towards a structure that you know exists and then simply lift and
lower your rod tip slowly as this will allow your spoon to flutter in
the lower part of the water column. Expect the strikes to occur while
the spoon is falling As in almost every aspect of artificial bait
fishing work your spoon as slow as you possibly can without getting
hung up. Slowing the retrieval rate down will always result in more
strikes.
�Spoon feeding� a red while sight casting, can be one of the most
exciting experiences that an angler can partake in, but most
importantly you will soon learn while watching these incredible fish
attack a spoon how at times they hit with such aggression and other
times they ingest the spoon with such gentleness that in all rights
should not be called a strike. That is of course until you set the
hook. When sight casting for reds observe what the red is doing. Is he
staying put in one place and if he is he probably is waiting to ambush
whatever comes by him, or is he on the prowl. If he is just sitting,
cast your spoon to a position that you will be able to bring the spoon
directly in front of him.
Hopefully upon first glance at the spoon he will attack it but if for
some reason he does not, stop the spoon and flutter the spoon in front
of the red. The spoon should stir up the bottom like a shrimp or baby
mullet stirs the bottom which should trigger the Red into striking.
Watching this unfold will cause heart palpitations like you can only
imagine. Now if the red is swimming, cast your spoon past the red and
retrieve the spoon towards the red. Most of the time the red will
pounce on it, but if he does not don�t hesitate to just stop the bait
for a second. The sudden change may get his attention.
CHOOSING COLORS
Spoons come in different colors but the most popular are Gold, Silver,
and Black. Gold spoons probably are the most popular by anglers as they
seem to be the most versatile. Muddy, clear it does not seem to matter
the gold spoon seems to work. Although in muddy conditions I have found
that the silver spoon can be a more effective and productive color than
either the gold or black. Now as far as the black I prefer to use this
color in crystal clear conditions and work it very slow.
Before your next trip to the marsh stop and pick up some spoons!, as
those aggressive fish that prowl the marsh that we know as reds liked to be spoon fed.
Check out: Red Fish Lodge of LA Teaser Fishing Team
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